3.2 Generating Features

Features are the core capabilities that your product will offer to users. In VibeMap, features are automatically generated based on your project description and personas, creating a comprehensive foundation for your development plan.

What Are Features?

Features represent the main functionality areas of your product. Each feature includes:

• Clear naming - Descriptive titles that communicate purpose

• Detailed descriptions - What the feature does and why it matters

• Categorization - Organized by functional areas (e.g., Authentication, User Management)

• Priority levels - Suggested importance for development planning

• User focus - Grounded in your personas' needs and goals

Prerequisites

Before generating features, you need:

• Project personas - Features are built around your users' needs

• Project description - Provides context for feature scope

• Clear project goals - Helps prioritize feature importance

Note: Features are automatically generated when you create a project, but you can regenerate or add more from the Features section.

How to Generate Features

Automatic Generation (Recommended)

Features are created automatically during project creation. VibeMap analyzes your description and personas to generate 8-15 core features organized by category.

Manual Generation

To generate additional features or regenerate existing ones:

1. Navigate to Features: Click the "Features" tab in your project sidebar

2. Click "Generate Features": Creates a comprehensive feature list

3. Wait for Processing: Takes 60-90 seconds for complex projects

4. Review Results: Features appear as organized cards or list items

Generating Additional Features

If you need more features or want to explore different possibilities:

1. Click "Generate Additional Features": Creates new features without duplicates

2. AI analyzes existing features: Avoids repetition and identifies gaps

3. Suggests enhancements: Proposes improvements to existing features

4. Adds complementary features: Covers areas you might have missed

What You'll Get

Feature Organization

Features are typically organized into categories such as:

• 🔐 Authentication & Security - Login, registration, password management

• 👥 User Management - Profiles, permissions, user roles

• 📊 Core Functionality - Main product features

• 💰 Billing & Payments - Subscription, pricing, payment processing

• 📱 User Interface - Navigation, search, customization

• 🔧 Administration - Settings, configuration, analytics

• 🔗 Integrations - Third-party connections and APIs

Feature Structure

Each feature includes:

• 📝 Name: Clear, descriptive title

• 📋 Description: Detailed explanation of functionality

• 🏷️ Category: Functional area classification

• ⭐ Priority: High, Medium, or Low importance

• 👤 User Focus: Which personas benefit from this feature

• 🔗 Dependencies: Related features or requirements

Example Feature Structure

User Authentication
Category: Security & Access
Priority: High
Description: Secure login system with email/password and social authentication options. Includes password reset, account verification, and session management.

User Stories: 5 generated
Acceptance Criteria: 12 generated
Dependencies: User Registration, Email Service

Managing Your Features

Viewing Feature Details

Click on any feature to see:

• Complete description and functionality details

• Associated user stories and acceptance criteria

• Related features and dependencies

• Technical requirements and considerations

Editing Features

• Click "Edit" on any feature

• Modify name, description, or priority

• Update category if needed

• Save changes to update the feature

Adding New Features

1. Click "Add Feature" button

2. Enter feature details manually

3. Assign category and priority

4. Save to add to your project

Deleting Features

• Click "Delete" on any feature

• Confirm deletion to remove permanently

• Related user stories may need updating

Reordering Features

• Drag and drop to reorder by priority

• Use priority filters to organize by importance

• Group by category for better organization

Expected Outcomes

Typical Generation Results

• 8-15 core features for most projects

• 3-5 categories covering main functional areas

• Clear priority distribution (High: 20%, Medium: 60%, Low: 20%)

• User-centered focus based on your personas

Quality Indicators

Good features will have:

• ✅ Clear, actionable names and descriptions

• ✅ Logical categorization and organization

• ✅ Appropriate priority assignments

• ✅ Strong connection to user needs

• ✅ Realistic scope and complexity

Best Practices

Writing Effective Project Descriptions

To get better features, include:

• Core functionality: What your product does

• User workflows: How people will use your product

• Business requirements: Must-have vs. nice-to-have features

• Technical constraints: Platform, integration, or performance needs

Example Good Description:

I'm building a project management SaaS for marketing teams. 
Core features should include task creation and assignment, 
real-time collaboration, file sharing, time tracking, and 
reporting dashboards. Users need to work across multiple 
projects, integrate with Slack and Google Drive, and generate 
client reports. The platform should support both web and 
mobile access with offline capabilities.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Too Few Features Generated:

• Add more detail about functionality in your project description

• Include specific use cases and workflows

• Try the "Generate Additional Features" button

Features Too Generic:

• Include industry-specific terminology in your description

• Reference similar products or features

• Edit generated features to add domain expertise

Features Don't Match Your Vision:

• Edit the generated features to align with your goals

• Use your business knowledge to refine descriptions

• Add custom features for unique requirements

Priority Levels Seem Wrong:

• Edit feature priorities based on your business needs

• Consider user impact and business value

• Reorder features to reflect your development roadmap

Next Steps

After generating features:

1. Review each feature to ensure it matches your vision

2. Edit priorities based on your business goals

3. Generate user stories - features provide context for detailed requirements

4. Plan your roadmap using feature priorities

5. Validate with stakeholders before proceeding to development

Features are the backbone of your product development plan. Well-defined features lead to better user stories, clearer acceptance criteria, and more successful development outcomes.